Chapter Thirteen: Return of the Warrior pt1
by Bynius
Summary: After six years, the aging warrior finally returns home to his son and daughter. The surprise he has for them may just be enough to tear their family apart. Part One of Two.


**bAvatar: The Last Airbender/b**

**Katara, voice-over:**

iWater.

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

It has been six years since the end of the Great War. Since Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai.

The citizens are working hard to reconstruct their battered countries, and there has been great success so far. Fire Lord Zuko had reclaimed his nation's honor; Toph is now a great earthbending trainer; Sokka is chief of the Southern Water Tribe, with Suki at his side; Aang had started up a group called The United People's Society.

Great progress had been made in reuniting the Four Nations. Much is being done to maintain order and peace. But my friends and I know that where there is light, there is shadow.

No matter how far we've come, there is always more work to be done./i

**bChapter T****hirteen: The Cry of the Warrior**

**Part One/b**

Katara stood at the edge of the water, anxiously awaiting his return. She heaved a shivering sigh, and tugged on her parka. It was nearing the winter season, and the South Pole seemed to be getting colder by the second. Katara gave another sigh, and closed her eyes. She had been out here waiting for what felt like days. She was starting to doubt that the man was coming, and she was contemplating returning to her warm home and huddling close to her husband and two children.

It had been nearly four months since Aang and Toph had left for the Earth Kingdom. Katara had been feeling pangs of lonesomeness ever since their departure. It felt like the very first time Team Avatar had been separated. She still had Sokka, Suki and Zuko on her end, but it felt empty without Aang and Toph.

Just as Katara was about to give up and recede into her home, something at the edge of the horizon caught her eye. The waterbender squinted, and with a gleeful gasp, she recognized the small fleet approaching the coast. She eagerly stood in wait, and within minutes the fleet had pulled into the docks nearby. Laughing giddily, Katara darted toward the unloading ships. Biting her lip, she watched as the warriors left the ships and gathered at the edge of the water. After several unfamiliar faces, one familiar figure appeared.

"Bato!" she squealed, rushing toward the warrior. Puzzled, the older man glanced in her direction, and then gasped as the young waterbender approached him.

"Katara!" He gave her a quick embrace. "It's good to see you."

Grinning, she replied, "It's good to see you, too!" Then she scanned the four other unloading ships. "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he'll be right out," Bato replied. "He's just tidying up the ship."

So Katara waited for a few more minutes. She got more and more anxious and excited with every passing second. Katara and Sokka had not seen their father in nearly five years. He'd officially retired his warrior status not too long after the war's end, and then took off on a long trip around the world. Katara frantically grabbed at tidbits and stories in her mind, mentally arranging the news that she would give her father. So much had changed since she had last seen former chief Hakoda, from the birth of her children to the dethroning of Zuko to the transference of the Avatar. Katara wasn't sure what she would tell her father first.

Katara snapped back to reality. Momentarily baffled, she glanced around. Then she jumped as she noticed the man that stood beside her. Instantly tears started to flow.

"Dad..." Katara let out a single nervous laugh. "It's you." She lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her father.

"Katara," the retired warrior murmured, "I've missed you so much." Then Hakoda pulled out of the embrace and stared at his daughter. "Wow. You've grown so much."

Katara grinned, and bit her lip to keep from bursting into more tears. "Dad—" She struggled for words. "It's been so long..."

Her father nodded. "It has."

"...and so much has changed." Swallowing, she continued, "There are a few people you have to meet."

"All right," Hakoda replied. "There's someone I'd like you to meet as well. But first I want to see Sokka."

Katara gave a single nod, and tugged at his arm, motioning for him to follow.

The father and daughter weaved through the Southern Water Tribe, maneuvering around houses and people until they came to the commons area.

Hakoda stared up at the building in awe and surprise. "When did this get here?"

"It's new," Katara explained. "It was only built—I think last year."

"Ah."

Her father in tow, Katara pressed open the great Ice Dragon doors and traveled along the east wall. They made their way down a winding corridor and passed through another set of doors. Finally, Katara and Hakoda stopped. Before them stood a set of grand white doors, with the familiar Ice Dragon engraving on the inside edges.

"The Southern Council offices," Katara told her father. She leaned forward and rapped gently on the doors.

Within a few minutes, someone called from the inside, and soon the doors opened.

"Hello, Katara," the woman greeted. Suddenly her gaze flicked from Katara to the man that stood beside her. She shot a questioning look.

"This is my father, Hakoda," Katara told her, holding out her hand to indicate him.

Hakoda nodded, and dipped his head.

Suddenly the woman's eyes widened. "Yes! You're Chief Hakoda! Oh, I've heard many stories about your travels." She opened the door wider, and made a sweeping motion with her arm. "Please, come in."

"My father had been traveling, and this is his first time back in five years," Katara explained as she and Hakoda pulled up a couple of chairs in front of the office desk. Then she turned to the woman, General Kaana. "Where's Sokka?"

"Um..." Kaana started shuffling through some of the papers scattered on the desk. "Ah." She picked up a small piece of parchment. "Yes, he left a note. Sokka should be back in about twenty minutes."

"Hmm." Katara looked from the general to her father.

"All right. And who are you?" he asked the woman.

"Oh, forgive me." She gave a quick bow. "I'm General Kaana, one of the members of the Southern Council. Basically, it's an order of three officials that oversee all the affairs within the Southern Water Tribe. The other two members are Lieutenant Haroko, who couldn't be here today because of illness, and of course, Chief Sokka."

The former chief was silent, obviously trying to take it all in.

Katara leaned in and murmured, "Told you a lot has changed."

After many silent minutes, Hakoda took in a breath, and turned to his daughter.

"Okay. Well..." He nodded to General Kaana. "Thank you for the information. I can't wait to see what else has changed."

General Kaana grinned. "Indeed, we've made a lot of changes after the war's end, but I assure you that it's all for the better."

Hakoda turned to Katara. "Could you take me to your place?"

"Sure, Dad." To Kaana, she asked, "When he comes back, would you mind telling Sokka to meet me and my father at my house?"

The general nodded. "Certainly. I'll be sure he gets message."

Katara grinned, and rose to her feet. "Great, thank you." Turning toward the door, she gave a wave of farewell to the general, and she and her father left.

Minutes passed, and Katara came up the pathway to her house. Reaching into her pocketbook, she withdrew a small white key, stuck in into the lock, and opened the door. Glancing over her shoulder to ensure that her father was still behind her, she led the way into her home.

"Katara?" a voice called from further inside. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," she called back. "And I've brought a guest."

•••

Hakoda patiently waited for the other man to appear. Katara's grin was enormous as the man came closer and closer. Finally, he came into view, and Hakoda felt like he would have a heart attack.

This man, possibly Katara's boyfriend, was none other than the young Fire Lord Zuko.

Zuko looked equally stunned. "Wow. Chief Hakoda...Katara's told me so much about you. It's an honor to finally meet you in person." He held out his hand.

Hakoda took the man's hand and shook it, still flabbergasted. "And it's...unbelievable to see you..."

"Dad..." Katara began slowly. "This is my husband."

"H—husband?" her father gasped.

"Yes. We got married a month ago." She gently pulled him toward the left. "Come on; there's someone else I'd like you to meet."

Still in a daze, Hakoda numbly followed his daughter as she led him into another room.

This room looked similar to a bedroom, yet a little different. Hakoda gazed curiously around.

"Dad." Katara and Zuko suddenly appeared at his side, both holding an unidentifiable bundle. Katara pressed closer, and pulled back a blanket to reveal the tiniest face Hakoda had ever seen. He gasped.

"Say hello to Kayana," the waterbender murmured. Glancing quickly at her father, Katara pushed the baby girl into his arms.

Startled, Hakoda carefully received the precious bundle, adjusting and readjusting his hold on her. "Why, Katara." He sighed. "She's absolutely beautiful."

"Isn't she?" Katara looked ready to burst with pride.

"I—I gotta sit down," Hakoda stammered, still gazing at the little girl. Katara led the way to the couch. Careful not to wake the infant, the retired warrior slowly sat down. Zuko sat beside him, and Hakoda noticed that he too was holding something.

"Oh, don't tell me..." Hakoda carefully shifted the girl into the crook of his right arm.

"Yup." Zuko leaned forward and unloaded his bundle. "This is baby Huangji."

"Wow," Hakoda breathed as he held the twin infants. "This is unbelievable. I always wondered whether twins ran in our family." He stared at Katara. "Did you know your grandmother was a twin?"

Her eyes widened with astonishment. "Really?"

Hakoda nodded. "Yes. But the twin died a few minutes after being born."

"Oh." Sorrow briefly flashed in her blue eyes.

"I remember when you and your brother were this tiny," the man murmured as he gently rocked the two children.

"They were a month premature," Zuko said.

Hakoda barely heard the Fire Lord. His gaze was fixed on babies Kayana and Huangji.

"Kayana's a beautiful name," he said as he handed the children back to their parents.

"Thank you, Chief Hakoda," Zuko replied.

"Where'd you get it?" he asked.

Zuko looked at Katara, and the waterbender shrugged. "I just made it up."

"It sounds like a combination of your mother's and grandmother's names, Kya and Kanna."

"Huh." Katara glanced at her husband. "I suppose it does."

Suddenly, a rapid knocking sounded at the front door. Katara rose, and disappeared into the long front hallway.

"So you and my daughter are married," Hakoda began cautiously.

"Yeah," the firebender replied in a guarded tone.

The former chief locked his gaze with Zuko's. "But I thought you already had a girlfriend in the Fire Nation."

"Oh. Uh..." Zuko stammered, quickly looking away. "It didn't—it couldn't work out."

Hakoda didn't reply, and continued to stare at him warily. He couldn't shake the feeling that his son-in-law was hiding something.

"Dad!"

Hakoda quickly tore his attention away from Zuko, and glanced toward his caller. A tear threatened to flow as he recognized the visitor. He leapt to his feet and pulled the man into an embrace.

"Sokka, my son." Hakoda sniffled, his heart suddenly aching with a strange combination of happiness and sorrow.

"I can't believe it." Sokka's eyes sparkled with tears as he let go of his father. "It's been so long, and you're finally here." Then his expression grew serious. "Is it for real this time?"

"Yes, it's for real." Hakoda patted him on the shoulder. "I've traveled the world and seen the sights. Now it's time for me to settle down with my children—and grandchildren," he added, his gaze falling on the babies that rested in Zuko's arms.

Katara suddenly pressed closer to her father's side. "Sokka's got kids, too."

Hakoda's eyes widened. "Really?"

Sokka nodded proudly, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Yup, two little boys. Twins."

Hakoda's heart swelled. "I can't wait to meet them. But first, there's someone very special I'd like you kids to meet."

•••

Katara and Sokka followed their father as he led them out of the house and back toward the Southern Water Tribe commons building. They passed through the large, Ice Dragon-engraved doors, and entered the building. The siblings fell behind Hakoda as he approached the center lounge area. Katara and Sokka stopped in their tracks just before the first long couch. Hakoda walked up to a woman who had been seated in a chair on the opposite side. They seemed to exchange some words, and the woman stood. With his arm around her shoulders, Hakoda ushered the woman towards his children.

Katara thought nothing of the woman until she came into better view. She looked to be Hakoda's age, her long, dark brown hair starting to show streaks of gray. Her narrow, amber eyes betrayed her nationality; this woman was obviously Fire Nation.

"Katara, Sokka," their father began. "This is Imira."

Katara dipped her head in greeting. "Hello, Imira. Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe."

The woman nodded. "Thank you."

"How do you like it here so far?" Sokka asked her.

Imira paused, gazing around the commons building. "It's..." She attempted a smile, and shrugged. "It's, uh, cold."

She didn't know what it was exactly, but there was something about this woman that Katara didn't like.

Hakoda pulled the woman closer. "Imira and I met when I vacationed in the Fire Nation colonies. She was my tour guide. We spoke a little bit, exchanged stories." He craned his neck to gaze into her amber eyes.

Katara didn't like where this was going.

Hakoda continued, still staring at Imira. "One thing led to another, and..." He gave an enormous smile. "We fell in love."

End of Chapter Thirteen, Part One.


End file.
